Invasive animals are a species that is not native to a specific location and generally have a tendency to spread or proliferate to a degree that causes damage to an environment, human economy or even human health. As such, these animals adversely affect the habitats and bioregions they invade economically, environmentally, or ecologically. Even if not invasive, many other outside animals are known to cause physical and financial damage to habitants, their property, and the general ecology. More specifically, invasive animals such as iguanas often cause damage to residential and commercial landscape vegetation and are often considered a nuisance by many habitants and property owners. That is principally because iguanas are attracted to trees with foliage or flowers, most fruits (except citrus) and almost any vegetable. These animals also cause damage to infrastructure by digging burrows that erode and collapse sidewalks, foundations, seawalls, berms and canal banks. These iguanas also problematically leave droppings on docks, moored boats, seawalls, porches, decks, pool platforms and inside swimming pools. Like other reptiles, iguanas can also transmit the infectious bacterium Salmonella to humans through contact with water or surfaces contaminated by their feces. Therefore, many users desire a means to effectively and efficiently trap these animals, in particular lizards such iguanas.
Iguanas are large lizards that are invasive and not native to most, if not all, of the United States. Adult iguanas range in color and include the innate ability to regulate their body temperature. Most lizards, such as iguanas, can live on the ground, in shrubs or in trees in a variety of habitats including suburban developments, urban areas, small towns and agricultural areas. Iguanas are also excellent swimmers and can tolerate both salt and freshwater. Lizards, such as iguanas, can grow to over 5 feet in length and weigh up to 17 pounds. Females typically reach reproductive maturity at two to four years of age. Iguanas typically mate in October through November in their native range, and nesting occurs on riverbanks, beaches and other sandy areas. They dig egg chambers that may contain nearly 80 feet of interconnected tunnels and multiple entrances and lay clutches of anywhere from 14-76 eggs, leading to the above-referenced and problematic proliferation. Most lizards can also live up to 10-15 years.
Some known traps include a tapered single entrance portion defining an entrance aperture that permits animals to enter the trap. Once an animal enters the trap, the device includes one or more enclosures or barriers designed to close once the animal reaches a certain point within the trap. These devices, however, are prone to failure and misapplication in practice. These devices are also comparatively more expensive in light of the additional moving components or parts. These devices are also ineffective for trapping lizards, such as iguanas, which are very hesitant to enter an enclosed structure or entrance. Lastly, these known devices also fail to provide an effective and efficient means for removal and/or disposal of the lizards.
Other known animal traps are also commercially impracticable and/or ineffective when the target animal is a lizard, such as an iguana. More specifically, the designs of these known traps do not provide an inviting entrance for a lizard's entry into the trap. Additionally, many of these known traps do not provide an internal environment within the trap that is thermally inviting for the lizards, i.e., cooler than the ambient environment, thereby substantially reducing the likelihood that the lizards desire to enter the trap.
Therefore, a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art as discussed above.